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Keselowski, Bowyer ineligible for new-look NASCAR Shootout at Daytona

December 10, 2012

Clint Bowyer (15) is ineligible for the NASCAR Shootout in February. The reason? He didn't win a pole in 2012. Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Here’s something officials couldn’t have envisioned when they tweaked the eligibility rules for the upcoming NASCAR Shootout in Daytona Beach: neither the reigning Sprint Cup champion nor the second-ranked driver is eligible for the Feb. 17 exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway.

Because they didn’t win a pole last year, series champion Brad Keselowski and his No. 2 Ford team, along with second-ranked Clint Bowyer and his No. 15 Toyota team, will miss the Shootout. Together, they won eight races, had 13 top-five finishes and 46 top-10 points—but no poles. The race formerly was called the Bud Shootout, but Budweiser was dumped after 34 years when Coors Light became last season’s pole sponsor.

And that last driver stat—no poles—means Keselowski and Bowyer will watch as 22 of their friends run the nonpoints Shootout. Among those 22 drivers are 12 who didn’t make the Chase for the Championship, 10 who didn’t win anything last season and five who’re eligible only because they’re previous Shootout winners.

For many years, the Busch Clash was open only to drivers who’d won at least one pole the previous season. Later, when officials realized how many of its big-name stars weren’t on the grid, they expanded the field to also include previous winners. Even later, when Budweiser became the title sponsor, NASCAR expanded the eligibility to include all top-20 drivers and drivers with career wins at DIS, plus pole winners and previous winners. There was even a time when the field included only the previous year’s 12 Chase drivers, former rookies of the year, Cup champions and previous Shootout winners.

Last year, several days after the Shootout, officials announced another change: that this year’s race would be open only to 2012 pole winners and previous winners. Which leaves us with this field:

Keselowski’s best start last season was second at Bristol in August. Ironically, qualifying was rained out shortly after Casey Mears and Keselowski were 1-2 in the first practice session. By rule, the Saturday-night grid was set by those practice speeds, leaving Keselowski on the outside of row one. (Since the pole wasn’t officially earned, Mears isn’t eligible for the Shootout.) Bowyer’s best start was second in the fall race at Dover.

A title sponsor (if any) and the Shootout format—almost certainly, several longer segments leading to a sprint at the end—are expected to be announced in the near future.